Moonlight Parting
by MistOfGrayDawn
Summary: One cold, moonlit night. That was when Hitomi Kanzaki lost a part of herself, a part that could never be replaced.


_Moonlight Parting_

**This came out of nowhere… Really. I had the sudden desire to kill someone in a story, and I was in an Escaflowne mood, so this just kinda popped up. Also, this was written at probably 11:00 last night, so it's probably weird… O.O**

It was like time had frozen for Hitomi Kanzaki. She was seeing, but not believing. Watching, but not comprehending. Knowing, but denying. Everything seemed to be played back before her eyes in vivid color: the shining silver of the blade, the bright crimson of the blood that was everywhere now. So much blood… It made Hitomi rather sick just looking at it, seeing the scarlet stains on the grass, on his tunic, on the sword.

A shrill scream reached her ears, and only after a few seconds did she recognize it as her own, the voice cracked and distorted with horror. Hitomi dimly realized she was on her knees, hands covering her mouth, open in a horrified scream.

The blue-haired man's face was utterly devoid of emotion as he wrenched the sword from his opponent's body with a sickening sound, and the blade shone wetly with blood, reflecting eerily the silver light of the moon.

Folken turned his terrible, cold gaze on her shaking form for a second, seeming to stare right through her. For a split second her fear was gone, replaced by blazing rage. "BASTARD!" She screamed, her voice echoing in the night. Hitomi found her feet and stumbled forward a few paces before her strength gave out again, and she was reduced to heaving sobs.

The blond knight lay sprawled on the ground, breathing shallowly as his lifeblood spilled onto the grass. His blue eyes reflected the light of the moon, a stark contrast to the crimson trails running from the corners of his mouth. His chest shook and heaved as he fought for breath, all the while his lungs filling with blood.

Folken's stone expression did not change as he walked calmly from the scene, bloodied sword in hand. He was almost at the edge of the forest clearing when he stopped, turning his icy gaze on Hitomi.

Then he spoke. "He got in my way." It was an explanation and an apology, although he felt no remorse at all for what he'd just done. "I must find Van."

Fleetingly Hitomi thought of Van, sleeping inside. Thoughts of warning him crossed her mind; she could probably get to Van first if she ran, and she could run fast. But these thoughts were quickly extinguished by the situation at hand. She couldn't leave Allen.

Hitomi, shaky with grief, crawled closer to the knight's motionless form. She couldn't suppress a sob as she looked at the grievous wound in his chest, torn with lethal precision by Folken's blade. She reached out with one hand and gently brushed a few strands of blond hair away from his eyes.

He looked up at her through half-lidded blue eyes. "Hi…tomi…"

"Oh, Allen…" she whispered, her voice raw with grief. _I'm so sorry!_ She wanted to say, but she was afraid she wouldn't be able to string the words together properly. She very gently shifted him so he was lying halfway across her lap, cradling him in her arms.

Warm blood flowed onto her shirt, soaking it through, but Hitomi barely noticed. She wasn't a doctor, but she didn't need one to tell her that Allen wasn't going to make it. Folken's sword had pierced him all the way through and probably punctured a lung, judging from the way his breaths rattled.

"Allen, I…" she began, trying so hard not to sob her heart out.

"Don't…" he rasped weakly. "It wasn't… your fault. I only wanted… to protect you…" He reached up to grasp her hand in his own, and she held on tightly, as if she could keep him here if just by holding onto him.

"You shouldn't have!" Hitomi sobbed, her voice breaking. It crossed her mind that Folken was probably on his way to kill Van by now, but she didn't care. Allen was dying, and there was nothing she could do about it. "You should have let him kill me!" she hiccupped, sobs wracking her thin frame.

"No… Hitomi…" he whispered, his voice becoming fainter. "I couldn't have done that." He coughed, and blood stained his lips scarlet, shining wetly in the moonlight. His eyes were glazing over, and Hitomi could feel him slipping away.

"No, Allen, please don't go!" she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I… I love you."

He smiled faintly, and his eyes glimmered. "I love you… Hitomi." His voice was the faintest of whispers now, barely audible. "If you ever find… Celena… tell her… I'm sorry…"

Hitomi felt him shudder as he struggled to breathe, and the last of his strength deserted him. "Goodbye… Hitomi…" His eyes closed for the last time, and his hand slipped from hers, leaving her fingers empty, never again to feel the warm embrace of the man who had once been her lover.

"Goodbye, Allen," Hitomi whispered as a great emptiness like she had never felt before opened up in her chest. She felt as though a there was a great drafty hole in her heart that could never be patched, letting in all the cold winds of reality.

Hitomi looked down at the face of her lover one last time, trying to carve every detail into her memory. He looked as if he could be sleeping if not for the ragged hole in his chest.

Footsteps from behind her made Hitomi turn her head. A woman with a somber expression on her face stood a few paces back, dressed in ornate clothing. She had long silver hair that cascaded to her waist in rippling waves, and pointed ears that protruded from the silvery locks, accented by her pale complexion.

She struck Hitomi as vaguely familiar, but her distraught mind couldn't think from where. Then she spoke, her voice soft and emotional. "He is at peace now, child. Do not cry for him." The woman's dark blue eyes stared solemnly into Hitomi's emerald ones.

But Hitomi did not understand, and more tears streamed down her cheeks. How could she not cry when the man she loved was dead?

Sora sat on her knees across from Hitomi, silk dress rustling. "If you wish, I could sing for him," she offered. "My clan believes it sets departed souls at peace."

Hitomi managed to nod before breaking down into more sobs and allowing her sorrow to swallow her whole. So the woman began to sing, her voice beautiful, sad and haunting, with Hitomi's grief-stricken wails interspersed in the background.

Sora sang, to the skies and to Hitomi, allowing her own grief to mingle with that of the girl who had just lost a part of her soul. Sora sang, and Hitomi wept, a symphony of lamentation.

Sora sang, and Hitomi wept.


End file.
